New York Senate passes mobile sports betting bill
Senator Joseph Addabbo’s S17D bill must now pass House of Representatives before legislative session ends tomorrow
A bill that would legalize mobile sports betting in New York was passed by the state Senate yesterday, although the bill faces an uphill struggle to receive full approval before the end of the legislative session.
Senator Joseph Addabbo’s S17D bill was passed by 57 votes in favour to five against, and must now progress through the state House of Representatives before the legislative session ends tomorrow (19 June).
It also needs approval by Governor Andrew Cuomo who has said previously he believes mobile betting cannot be approved without an amendment to the state constitution, which would take several years.
#NYSenate Bill S17D, sponsored by @senjoeaddabbo, passed 57-5 (unofficial). Relates to the regulation of sports betting and mobile sports wagering: https://t.co/eVTsGR8bBL
— New York State Senate (@NYSenate) June 17, 2019
Joseph Addabbo said in a statement: “I continue to believe that legalizing sports betting, and enabling people to place wagers from their phones and other devices, has tremendous potential to create jobs and raise significant funding for education and other vital public programs.
He added: “This amended bill expands on where and how an individual can place a sports wager. Together with Assemblymember Pretlow, I intend to work with all interested parties in bringing legal sports betting to New York.
“We can’t just sit back and watch New York’s illegal sports betting business flourish while money flows out of our state and into New Jersey.”
Bill S17D would authorize mobile wagering as well as betting at racetracks, off-track betting parlors and professional sports venues in partnerships with casinos.
Assemblyman Pretlow added: “Billions of New Yorker’s dollars are being wagered on sports in the black-market. By enabling the mobile sports wagering component, we will be able to capture a majority of this illicit practice while further protecting our consumers.
“Senator Addabbo, our staff, and I have been working continuously to craft legislation that is considerate of all major stakeholders.”